A vehicle window with these features is e.g. known from EP 307 317 B1. In the case of the known vehicle window the glass plate is inserted in the window frame from the outside of the vehicle body. The frame-like profile strip cooperating with the mounting flange is located on the side of the glass plate directed towards the vehicle interior and has a projecting part, which engages over the inner edge of the mounting flange directed towards the window opening. Outside this part engaging over the mounting flange, i.e. between the same and the circumferential edge of the glass plate, is located the adhesive strand or ribbon. In order to protect the adhesive material against UV-rays, which lead to an embrittlement of the adhesive, on the glass plate side directed towards the mounting flange is provided an opaque, frame-like enamel coating. This frame-like coating also serves to make it impossible to see the adhesive area from the outside through the glass plate.
The vehicle window according to the invention differs from the known vehicle windows in that the part of the frame or frame-like profile strand cooperating with the mounting flange, as well as the adhesive strand are located on the glass plate surface directed towards the outside of the vehicle body and the glass plate is bonded to the mounting flange side directed towards the vehicle interior, the adhesive strand being located on the side of the profile frame or frame-like profile strand cooperating with the mounting flange.
The inventive construction of a vehicle window leads to a number of important advantages compared with the known vehicle windows. Firstly there is no need to provide a coating on the glass plate preventing the passage of UV-rays because this function is fulfilled in the case of the window according to the invention by the actual mounting flange. This not only brings about a significant simplification in the manufacturing process of the glass plates, but also leads to an improvement in the protective action, because the conventional printed enamel protective coatings do not always provide an absolute protection against UV-radiation. It is also advantageous that the outermost marginal area of the glass plate which, due to the glass plate manufacturing process, often has minor deformations, which are still visible to the critical eye, is now covered from the outside by the mounting flange and is consequently no longer visible. This makes it possible to use for the manufacture of glass plates production methods, which necessarily lead to greater marginal deformations, but which lead to advantages, in particular, of economic nature. As the edge of the glass plate, i.e. its circumferential surface, is located in the vehicle interior and can be covered by the vehicle interior panelling, there is also no need for the grinding smooth or polishing of the circumferential surfaces. Moreover, unlike in the case of conventional fitting methods, the size of the glass plates is less critical, so that it is possible to increase the tolerance range with respect to the plate size, which can in turn lead to economic advantages. Finally, it is possible in the case of the fitting method according to the invention, to provide the glass plates on the inside with a transparent conductive coating serving as an antenna, without disadvantageously influencing the function of said coating, as in the known vehicle windows with an internal, electrical conductive coating, by the adhesive producing the connection to the metal flange.